Machine for operating upon the heel-portions of shoes



March 24, 1936. RB. WOODCOCK El AL ,7

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON THE HEEL PORTIONS 0F snoas Filed Aug. 20, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l E/WE E RMHMW .BW &

March 24, 1936. WOODCOCK AL 2,034,734

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON THE HEEL PORTIONS OF SHOES Filed Aug. \4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 1936- R. B. WOODCOCK ET AL. 2,034,734

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON THE HEEL PORTIONS OF SHOES Filed Aug. 20, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 24, 1936. WOODCOCK ET AL I 2,034,734

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON THE HEEL PORTIONS OF SHOES Filed Aug. 20, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 24, 1936 NETED STATES- PATENT oFncE MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON THE HEEL-PORTIONS OF SHOES poration of New Jersey Application August 20, 1934, Serial No. 740,562

In Great Britain 24 Claims.

The present invention is concerned with machines for operating upon the heel portions of shoes, and has particular reference to the provision, in a heel-attaching machine, of improved means for insuring accurate relative positioning of a heel and a shoe prior to the permanent attachment of the heel to said shoe.

In accordance with well recognized practices, heels may be subjected to a substantial trimming operation subsequently to their attachment to shoes or they may be attached thereto in substantially finished shape. In the former case, though it is of course desirable that the heel should be located as accurately as possible, a certain amount of latitude is allowed in the positioning of the heel on the shoe prior to attaching, since any slight error of placement may be corrected by the trimming operation, though at the expense of increasing the time and care expended upon this operation. In the latter case, such latitude is not permitted, and consequently it has been commonly found necessary to perform a heel-seat-fitting operation on the heel and shoe to insure the proper locating of the heel in the attaching operation. Such a heel-seat-fitting operation usually consists in the formation on the heel and on the sole of the shoe of complementary abutting surfaces, such that when they are mutually engaged the heel will be correctly positioned. It will be appreciated, however, that even when such an operation is performed, the operator, when the heel and shoe are brought together for attachment, has still to so locate the heel that the abutting surfaces register correctly. Consequently, in both the cases just mentioned it is desirable that the heel should be accurately positioned upon the shoe before the attaching fasteners are driven. It is one of the various objects of the present invention to provide a heel-attaching machine, particularly such a machine by which the attaching fasteners are driven into the heel from the inside of the shoe, with novel means for insuring the desired accurate relative locating of a. heel and a shoe prior to the permanent attachment of the heel to the shoe. From the foregoing, it will be recognized that the use of a heel attaching machine equipped with means for this purpose may with many classes of work, whether or not a. heel-seat-fitting operation has been previously performed, be highly advantageous in simplifying the task of the operator.

In shoemaking, a system may be employed which involves the trimming of heels, built up from lifts, to final or substantially final form,

October 3, 1933 prior to their attachment to shoes. In such a system a short outsole not extending to the rear of the heel-seat may be used, and a heel-seatfitting operation may be performed upon heel and sole. Alternatively, a full-length outsole may be used and no such heel-seat-fitting operation carried out. In the former case, and even more in the latter, it is highly important that the heel should be very accurately located with respect to the shoe and positioning means as provided by the present invention is particularly adapted for use in insuring this result.

The above and other objects and the several features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings of a convenient illustrative form of heel-positioning apparatus according to the invention.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a right-hand side elevation of part of a heel-attaching machine embodying the illustrative apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of certain parts seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a right hand side elevation to a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing a shoe in place in the machine, with a heel positioned on the shoe;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, parts being omitted for clearness;

Fig. 5 is a right-hand side elevation on an enlarged scale of parts seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a front View of the parts seen in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but with somewhat different adjustments and with elements in different positions which they occupy during an operating cycle.

The. illustrated apparatus is well adapted for use in connection with the heel-attaching machine described in the specification of British Patent No. 348,071, accepted May 6, 1931, which machine drives the attaching fasteners from the inside of the shoe into the heel, and the apparatus will be described hereinafter with relation to its application to such a machine.

Secured by bolts 9M (Figs. 3 and 4) to the machine-column 903 is a dovetailed guideway 905, and adjustably secured in the guideway is a bifurcated bracket 901 having forwardly extending arms to which are pivoted, about horizontal studs 908, bell-crank-levers 909. To one arm of each of the bell-crank-levers is pivoted, about a stud 9I0, the forward end of a horizontally disposed swinging carrier member 9, the rear end of this carrier member being pivoted about studs 9I2 to bell-cranklevers 9| 3. The levers 913 are pivotally joined by studs 9! to the bracket 901 and are connected by links 9l15 with the levers 999. These levers 999 and 9 I3, together with the links 915, form a parallel-linkage system, which, when one of the levers 999 is moved about its pivot 998, as hereinafter described, causes the member 9 to so move that in all positions its horizontal relation is maintained.

Mounted by pin-and-slot connections 9H (Fig. 4) on the swinging carrier member 9, to be capable of a limited forward or rearward movement with respect thereto, is a forked member 9E9 having a V-shaped depression at its forward side of appropriate size to receive the counterportion of a shoe, furnishing a back-gage to locate it in proper longitudinal relation to the shoe-support or attaching stand 921. On the upper face of the member 919 is a dovetailed guideway 923 and adjustably fixed therein is a forked gage member 925 adapted to engage the rear surface of a heel and position it longitudinally on a shoe, which itself has been positioned on the attaching stand, as just described. An adjusting screw 929, the head of which lies in a groove in the guideway 923 to prevent axial movement, provides for adjustment of the heellocating member 925 with respect to the shoe-locating member 919.

Side-gages for locating both the shoe and its heel transversely are also provided. The shoelocating gaging means comprises a pair of arms 921, 921, each arm being pivoted by a stud 929 to a boss on the shoe-locating member M9. The forward portion of each arm 921 is the shoeengaging portion thereof and is preferably either so shaped and finished to avoid defacing the work or has a protective rubber cap. Each arm 921is slotted to receive an upstanding pin 93! which is fixed to the carrier member 9! l, and a depending pin 933 fixed in the rear end of each of the arms 921 passes downwardly through an arcuate clearance-slot 935 in the swinging carrier member. Between the two pins 933 is stretched a tension spring 931 which normally holds the arms 921 in inactive position, with their forward ends well separated.

The side-gaging means for locating the heel transversely comprises a pair of arms 939, 939 each arm being pivoted about a stud 949 to the under side of the shoe-locating member 9l9. Each of the arms 939 at its forward portion extends upwardly and then inwardly, this inwardly extending portion forming a gage for contact with the side surface of a heel and being so located as to lie somewhat above and inwardly from the work-engaging portion of the corresponding arm 921. Each arm 939 is provided at its rear end with a segmental toothed portion 94l (Fig. 4) which portions intermesh with each other, the arrangement being such that both heel-gage-arms are constrained to swing equally about their respective pivots. On the upper face of each shoe-gage-arm 921 is located a boss 943 housing a spring-pressed plunger 945, the head of which bears against the corresponding arm 939.

To prevent undue freedom of movement of the shoe-locating member 9E9, which is otherwise only connected tothe frame by the pin-andslot connections, plates 941 (Fig. 2) are provided which bear against the sides of the dovetailed guideway 923, these plates each being secured to the frame by studs or pins one of which is the pin 9H and another the pin 93l.

When using the apparatus, the operator will ordinarily place the shoe to which the heel is to be attached on the stand 92!. He will then depress a treadle (not illustrated), which through mechanism hereinafter described moves the carrier member 911, through the parallel-linkage system, upwardly and forwardly. The frame member carries with it the shoe-upper-locating member 9l9 together with its associated heellocating member 925 and the gage-arms 921, 921 and 939, 939. The member 9l9 contacts with the counter-portion of the shoe and pushes it forwardly until it closely hugs the rear face of the attaching stand. The gage-arms 921, 921 are carried forwardly by their connections to the upper-locating member 919 and by the upstanding pins 93! fixed in the member 91 2. While the movement of the shoe-locating member 9l9 is arrested by contact of the shoe-upper with the rear of the attaching stand, further forward movement of the member 9, as permitted by the pin-and-slot connections 9i1, 9E1, will cause the gage-arms 921, 921 to be swung inwardly by the upstanding pins 93l moving relatively to the studs 929 about which the arms are pivoted to the member 9E9. At the same time, the spring-pressed plungers 945 will move the gagearms 939, 939 inwardly about their pivots 949. The arms 921, 921 contact with the shoe-upper in the region of the crease, so in conjunction with the locating member 919, they hold said shoe securely in proper position on the attaching stand. The operator now places a heel on the shoe, and, by pushing on its breast-surface, moves it backwardly so that its rear will engage the heel-locating member 925 and its sides the gagearms 939, 939. The position of the heel-locating member 925 with respect to the shoe-locating member 9l9 will previously have been so adjusted by the screw 926 for the type of heel being operated upon, that when the counter-portion of the shoe is engaged by the member 919 the heel will be properly positioned longitudinally of the shoe when it is made to contact with the member 925. At the same time, the gage-arms 939, 939 centralize the heel. Hence the mere act on the part of the operator of pushing the heel rearwardly effects its accurate positioning on the shoe. The arms 939, 939 may yield slightly against the action of the plungers 945.

With certain classes of work, the operator may find it more convenient to position the heel approximately on the shoe before said shoe is put on the attaching stand 92 I, as, for example, when there has been formed a groove across the breastsurface of a heel, which groove, when the heel is placed on the shoe, engages with a tongue out in the sole. With such work, the operator may assemble the heel on the sole of the shoe in approximately the correct position, with the tongue on the sole engaging the groove in the heel, before placing the shoe on the attaching stand. The Work-gaging elements are moved upwardly and forwardly as just described, but in this case the heel-locating member 925 contacts with the heel and will cause movement thereof with respect to the shoe to position it on the shoe if it is not already correctly located. Likewise the gage-arms 939, 939 contacting with the sides of the heel centralize it with respect to the shoe.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that through the mechanism described, the shoe is brought into correct position on the attaching stand and maintained there, and that then the heel which is to be attached to the shoe is correctly alined thereon. As will hereinafterv become more clear, it is only when the parts are in their operative positions and the heel is thus correctly located that the usual pressure-applying abutments P and A (Fig. 3) of the heelattaching machine come into position, so that the shoe and heel are held firmly on the stand against the thrust of the nail-drivers.

The heel-attaching machine of British Patent No. 348,071, previously referred to, has means for supplying attaching fasteners to the attaching stand, which means is power-operated shortly after the fasteners have been driven, and that consequently speedy removal of the shoe from the stand is necessary if the fastener-supplying means is to deliver its fasteners correctly. Such supplying means is operated as an incident in the normal cycle of operations of the machine, and it is therefore essential that the above-described gaging means release the shoe and heel in good time before the supplying means commences to operate. With this object in view the mechanism now to be described is preferably employed. Pivotally connected to the treadle of the machine, which is adapted to bring down the pressure-applying abutments P and A and to trip the clutch to set the machine in operation, is a rod 949 the upper end of which is screwed into a bore in a yoke L The upper end of the yoke 95| is bifurcated to provide two rearwardly extending lugs 959. On screws 955 in these lugs 953 is pivoted the upper extremity of a bell-crank member 951, having two normally upwardly disposed arms and one rearwardly extending arm. A stud 959 is pinned to the bell crank member 951 and this stud passes through an eye at the lower extremity of a rod 96I, which furnishes the upper section of the rod 949, passing between the lugs 953 and at its upper end is connected to a lever 963 pivotally mounted on the bracket 901 about a stud 964, A link 965 connects the lever 963 to an car 966 on the right-hand bell-crank-lever 999, the arrangement being such that downward movement of the rod 96| acting through the lever 953 and link 965 actuates said bell-cranklever to move the carrier 9 upwardly and forwardly for the purpose hereinbefore described. The forward portion of the lever 963 is forked, and pivotally mounted in the forked portion is a block 961 through a bore in which passes a sleeve 968 threaded on the rod 96| and to which is clamped a hand-nut 969. By turning the nut 969, the position of the lever 963 about its pivot is adjusted. This, through the link 965 and the lever 999, will vary the initial position of the carrier 9| I. This adjustment provides for variations in the sizeof shoes and/or heels by altering the initial position of the carrier 9| l, which position controls the final operating relation'of said carrier.

The ends of the stud 959 are slidable in vertical slots 91| formed in the two forwardly extending arms of a bracket 913 fixed to the machine-column 993, so that the stud is limited to a vertical movement. Pinned to the left-hand extremity of the stud 959 is an arm 915 slotted at 911. Adjustably mounted in the slot is a pin 919 to which is fixed the lower end of a tensionspring 98l, the upper end of which is attached to abracket 983 (Fig. 1) on the machine-column. The spring tends to cause the stud 959,

and therefore the bell-crank 951 and the yoke 95| to turn in a clockwise direction as seen from the right-hand side of the machine, such movement being limited by a stop-screw 985 mounted on the upper end of the yoke 95| and bearing against the rod 96| When the operator has placed a shoe on the attaching stand, he will, by the depression of the treadle, pull down the rod-section 949. This will cause downward'movement of the yoke 95|, which through the bell-crank member 951 carries down the rod-section 96| and serves, as hereinbefore described, to move the swinging member 9| Any tendency for the connections between the rod-. sections furnished by the yoke and the bell-crank member, to shift or pivot about the stud 959 in a counter-clockwise direction as seen from the right-hand side of the machine is counteracted by the tension-spring 93L The downward travel of the yoke continues, as the stud 959 moves in the slots 91|, until a boss 986 on the rearwardly extending arm of the bell-crank member 951 contacts with an adjustable stop 981 fixed in the bottom of the bracket 913. Further direct vertical downward movement of the yoke and bell-crank member being thus prevented, continued downward movement of the treadle-rod 949 causes the yoke and bell-crank member to be swung outwardly, the latter turning the stud 959 to which it is pinned. Turning movement of the stud causes the slotted arm 915 to be swung downwardly against the action of the spring 98 This movement continues until the spring passes, as appears in full lines in Fig. '7, across a line joining the center of the pin 919 to the center of the screw 955 connecting the yoke with the bellcrank member 951. With the parts in this position, the spring 98| pulls upon the arm 915 so that the stud 959 is immediately returned to the tops of the slots 91l, the stud carrying with it the rod 96 I. This is as shown in dotted lines in Fig. '7. Thus released, said rod, through the lever 963 and link 965, moves the member 9| to its initial position and the gaging means are released from the operating position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and returned to the inactive position of Fig. 1. Prior to this release of the gaging means, the pressureappfying abutments P and A, which are actuated by the same treadle, are brought down on the heel so that the heel and shoe are held in correct relation to each other and to the attaching stand, despite the removal of the gaging means. Further downward movement of the treadle after release of the gaging means trips the clutch to start the machine. Owing to the action of the spring 98!. which now holds the stud 959 at the top of the slots 91|, this last depression of the treadle merely causes the yoke 95| and the stud to move idly in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the right-hand side of the machine. When the fasteners have been driven, the operator will release the treadle, and the yoke and its attached parts are restored to their initial position, since the usual treadle-spring (not shown) is provided which urges the rod 949 upwardly. The pressure-abutments P and A are also retracted, allowing the operator quickly to take off the shoe from the attaching stand. The release of the treadle as described in the specification'of British Patent No. 348,071 actuates the fastener-supplying and transferring means. As has been hereinbefore stated, quick removal of the shoe from the attaching stand is necessary so that the fastener-transferring operation shall not be impeded, and as the gaging means have been carried away from the shoe and heel before the fasteners are driven, as has been described, they in no way hinder the operator in the removal of the shoe. The time at which the gaging mechanism is returned to its inactive positions is controllable by the adjustments of the position of the pin 919 in-the slot 917, which alters the time at which the spring 98l crosses the dead-centerline of the pin 919 and the screws 955.

It will be seen from the above that the whole cycle of operations is controlled by one treadledownward movement, which first brings the shoeand heel-gaging means into operating position and thereafter the heel-abutments. Continued downward movement of the treadle next releases the gaging means and then sets the machine in operation. Finally, release of the treadle frees the heel-abutments for their return from operating position and actuates the fastener-supplying and transferring means, the operator meanwhile having removed the shoe from the attaching stand.

Having described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating upon the heelportions of shoes, locating means for shoe-parts, said locating means being movable into and out of active position, a member movable in one direction to carry the locating means to its active position, and means for returning the locating means t its inactive position while movement of the member in the initial direction continues.

2. In a machine for operating upon the heelportions of shoes, locating means for shoe-parts, said locating means being movable into and out of active position, a movable member, and connections between the member and locating means arranged to control during movement of the member in one direction the movement of such locating means in opposite directions.

3. In a machine for operating upon the heelportions of shoes, locating means for shoe-parts, said locating means being movable into and out of active position, a movable member, and connections between the member and locating means arranged to control during movement of the member in one direction the movement of such locating means in opposite directions, the member having a capacity for idle travel with respect to the locating means after such means has returned to its inactive position.

4. In a machine for operating upon the heelportions of shoes, locating means for shoe-parts, said locating means being movable into and out of active position, a sectional rod controlling movement of the locating means, one section of which rod is movable by an operator, the other section being joined to the locating means, and a member movable upon both sections and allowing movement of the operator-actuated section while the locating means remains at rest.

5. In a nailing machine, movable. locating means for shoe-parts, a rod-section connected thereto, a rod-section movable by an operator, shiftable connections between the rod-sections to cause them initially to move together, and means for shifting the connections during such initial movement to free the operator-actuated section for independent movement.

6. In a nailing machine, movable locating means for shoe-parts, a rod-section connected thereto, a rod-section movable by an operator, shiftable connections between the rod-sections to cause them initially to move together, and a normally stationary member with which an element of the connections contacts to shift said connections and release the section joined to the locating means from the operator-actuated section.

7. In a heel-attaching machine, shoeand heel-locating means, a rod-section joined to the locating means, a second rod-section for actuation by an operator, a lever pivotally connected to both rod-sections to cause them to move together, and means for turning the lever to release the section joined to the locating means for movement independently of the companion section.

8. In a heel-attaching machine, shoeand heel-locating means, a rod-section joined to the locating means, a second rod-section for actuation by an operator, a lever pivotally connected to both rod-sections to cause them to move together, a spring for holding the lever in normal position, and a member fixed relatively to the rod-sections and by which the lever may be turned against the force of the spring.

9. In a heel-attaching machine, shoeand heel-locating means, a rod-section joined to the locating means, a second rod-section for actuation by an operator, a lever pivotally connected to both rod-sections to cause them to move together, a spring for holding the lever in normal position, and a member fixed relatively to the rod-sections and by which the lever may be turned against the force of the spring, said spring thereafter acting to move the section secured to the locating means oppositely to the operator-actuated section.

10. In a heel-attaching machine, shoeand heel-locating means, a rod-section joined to thelocating means, a second rod-section for actuation by an operator, a lever pivotally connected to both rod-sections to cause them to move together, a spring attached to the lever and serving to hold it in normal position, means arranged to vary the point of attachment of the spring to the lever, a member normally fixed relatively to the rod-sections and by which the lever is turned against the force of the spring, and means arranged to secure the member in different lever-contacting positions.

11. In a heel-attaching machine, a work-support through which fastenings are driven into a supported shoe and a heel applied thereto, a

movable carrier, shoe-locating means and heellocating means mounted upon the carrier and by which the Work is positioned for the driving of the fastenings, and means for moving the carrier and the shoeand heel-locating means into their active relation and then out of active cooperation with the shoe-support for the delivery of the fastenings to said support.

12. In a heel-attaching machine, a shoe-support, a movable carrier, shoe-locating means and heel-locating means mounted upon the carrier, and a member movable to move the carrier and the shoeand heel-locating means into cooperation with the shoe-support and during continuous movement releasing the carrier for reverse movement.

13. In a heel-attaching machine, a shoesupport, a movable pressure-abutment co-operating therewith, a movable carrier, shoe-part-locating means mounted upon the carrier, a controlling member, and connections to the controlling member for moving the carrier and the locating means into active co-operation with the shoesupport and for thereafter bringing the pressureabutment into engagement with shoe-parts upon the support.

14. In a heel-attaching machine, a shoe-support,,a movable pressure-abutment co-operating therewith, a movable carrier, shoe-part-locating means mounted upon the carrier, a controlling member, connections to the controlling member for moving the carrier and the locating means into active co-operation with the shoe-support and for thereafter bringing the pressure-abutment into engagement with shoe-parts upon the support, and connections between the controlling member and locating means, said connections being arranged to release the locating means during continued movement of the member for retraction from the support.

15. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a carrier movable toward and from the jack, shoelocating means and heel-locating means mounted upon the carrier, and a pressure-abutment movable into contact with the jacked work after the movement of the carrier toward the jack.

16. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a carrier movable toward and from the jack, and shoe-locating means and heel-locating means mounted upon the carrier, each of said locating means having back-gages and side-gages.

17. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a carrier movable toward and from the jack, shoelocating means and heel-locating means mounted upon the carrier, each of said locating means having back-gages and side-gages, one of the back-gages being variable in position upon the other, and means arranged to fit the variable gage in different positions.

18. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a carrier movable toward and from the jack, a back-gage for a shoe movable upon the carrier, and side-gages pivoted upon the back-gage.

19. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a carrier movable toward and from the jack, a back-gage for a shoe movable upon the carrier, and side-gages pivoted upon the back-gage, there being contact-portions upon the carrier for moving the side-gages about their pivots.

20. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack. a carrier movable toward and from the jack, 2. back-gage for a shoe movable upon the carrier, and side-gages for a shoe and a heel pivoted upon the back-gage.

21. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a back-gage for a shoe movable toward and from the jack, side-gages pivoted upon the back-gage, a back-gage for a heel movable upon the shoeback-gage, and side-gages for the heel movable under the influence of the shoe-side-gages.

22. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, a back-gage for a shoe movable toward and from the jack, side-gages pivoted upon the back-gage, a back-gage for a heel movable upon the shoebaok-gage. side-gages for the heel movable upon the shoe-back-gage, and yieldable means for communicating the movement of the shoe-sidegages to the heel-side-gages.

23. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, shoelocating and heel-locating means situated normally at the rear of and below the work-supporting surface of the jack, and a mounting for the locating means; movable to bring said locating means forward and up for engagement with a shoe and a heel upon the jack.

24. In a heel-attaching machine, a jack, shoelocating and heel-locating means situated normally at the rear of and below the work-supporting surface of the jack, a mounting for the 10- cating means movable to bring said locating means forward and up for engagement with a shoe and a heel upon the jack, arms pivoted adjacent to the jack, a substantially horizontal carrier pivoted upon the arms and furnishing therewith a parallel motion, shoe-part-locating means mounted upon the carrier, and connections to the arms which move the carrier into and out of active co-operation with the jack.

REGINALD BOYD WOODCOCK.

FRANK BARTON. 

